An Arranged Marriage (Blair and Google)

Violet stared in the floor length mirror at herself, her head tilted to the side just enough to let her dangling pear earring touch her bare shoulder. She stood in only a strapless pale blue, lace bra and matching panties. Her Blonde hair spilled down her back in waves, all the way to curve of her behind. For some reason, she was requested to leave it down, but she didn't think twice about it. Her maid was bringing up her dress, something that had been a mystery for longer than a month, to her room in just a few moments. Violet's hands slid over her slim stomach and hips, feeling the excitement tense up in her muscles. Just a few months ago, she was told she would never have a birthday ball. It would be impossible due to her father losing his position at his job to a younger man, leaving them with only their old manor that had been passed down from generation to generation, and even that was falling apart... Only one maid was left in the manor, and that was Lily, an older woman who stayed for loyalty and a lack of a place to go if she were to actually leave.

Lily, a plump older maid, walked through the door with a large dress bag in her arms and a look on her face that told Violet that Lily was using a fake excitement to hide a very different emotion. Lily had always been protective over Violet, especially since it had been very obvious through Violet's childhood that she was not the main priority of her parents lives. Well, at least they did not go out of their way to make her think otherwise. And even though the maid was protective of Violet, it was more toward her feelings. And right now, Lily was trying her best not to frighten the newly eighteen-year-old girl with a startled expression, though it was difficult.

Unzipping the bag, Lily revealed a pure, snow white dress. It was strapless and sweetheart shaped at the top, lined with millions of tiny pearls. When Violet slid it on and had Lily zip it in the back, she noticed by looking in the mirror that it was slightly low cut, and it definitely hugged every curve she had. The only pure things about the dress was the color, and the decency to be floor-length. Although, the slit that went to her hip rivaled that thought.

Violet didn't question the color of the dress, thinking that her father just wanted to advertise her as a pure girl, something that she would definitely not put past him if it came to getting a man to marry her. Walking down the stair case, she entered the entry way of the ball room to find every one already in the main room. Their chatter was hushed, and it was already quite obvious that Violet was being left out of a very important part of the plans of the evening. Her father came out of no where, wearing his nicest tux, and held his arm out for her. His expression was cold as he lifted her arm to loop through his, and her mother handed her flowers. Her mother didn't make eye contact with her, but it was evident she had been crying before hand.

"Father, what is going on?" Violet demanded, trying to jerk her arm away. She looked up at him with defiance, even when he held her arm with force. Her blue eyes searched his with confusion and a slight panic. "What is going on?!"

Her father looked down at her and arched an eyebrow. His voice came out low and cold. "Your wedding is waiting for you."

He could remember the first time he had ever seen her, it had been three years ago to the day and the moment he saw her he knew that he had to possess her all for himself. It had been her fifteenth birthday and her father had requested that he stopped by their home to pick up some paperwork for a joint venture they had been assigned to. Dominic had of course apologized for interrupting the party but he hadn't been able to take his eyes off of her, she had been stunning, everything that he could ever desire and then more. Of course the age difference would of course keep them from being together under most circumstances, her parents would never consent to any relationship between them if he would to voice his own intentions and to pursue her in a traditional manner would be next to impossible even if one didn't consider the laws against someone becoming involved with a person of her age.

So instead he had decided to use his most valuable commodity, it had made him wealthier then anyone had ever dream was possible, and always got him whatever he would like because he was willing to do more then anyone else would to get what he wanted and he always waited for the perfect moment to make his move. He had worked harder then ever before, risen from the position of vice president to president within the firm where he worked and then promoted someone to the position that her father held... putting the father of his bride to be in a financial straight and then happily informing him that his daughter would be marrying him on her eighteenth birthday is they wanted to avoid total financial ruin.

Now was the day of the marriage, she was of course not to be forewarned of what was coming because he wanted to have her caught off guard by it all. He had even picked out the dress for her, given the measurements that her parents had provided him with, a dress that he knew would compliment her body perfectly.

Dominic Strauss smiled at the thought as he carefully dressed himself, a fine Italian suit that had been tailored just for him, leather shoes to match it also custom made. He was just a hair over six feet tall and had a runners build, a hundred and seventy three pounds of solid muscle covered in a nine grand black suit. Forty three years old and he worked hard to keep himself in peak shape.

Once he was satisfied that his appearance was flawless Dominic made his way from the small office that he had appropriated as a dressing room and to the front of the ball room that had been set up for the wedding. The room had been decorated perfectly and there were few people there though it hardly mattered, it wasn't witnesses that he wanted but her.

As he took his place at the front of the room Dominic heard the music begin to start up and turned to face the back of the ballroom, awaiting the entrance of his bride to be.

Violet felt her eyes stinging with tears as she tried to jerk her way out of her father's hold. "No," she said, shaking her head. It did not take long for her to realize her father was serious, especially in the way he kept her in a death grip, not looking down at her once. Even as the double doors in front of her opened, she was still trying to free her self. "No! Daddy, please! You can't do this to me! Daddy! Please, no!" Tears started to slide down her cheeks, dripping down her jaw and neck. She shook her head, and when it seemed that she would never relent, her uncle slid out of no where and took her other arm, holding her as tightly as he father did on the other side.

Music played, and even though she was trying to pull her way out of their grip, they were too strong. Eventually, she was at the alter, and her father went to sit down by her weeping mother. Her uncle stayed beside her, just in case she had the urge to run. Which she did, but her fear paralyzed her all of the sudden, for when she looked up at who stood across from her, she froze. It was her father's old boss, for he was vice president and over her father's old position. He was handsome, although very obviously her senior. He was only a few years younger than her own father, though she had to admit, he looked amazing for his age. In fact, even in her panic and fear of what was happening, his demeanor made her weak in the knees. When she was a girl, she loved for him to come to their house. His dark, handsome appearance had always had her touching her self at night in her bedroom... His voice made her melt, and in all the years her family had known him, he only looked her in the eyes once or twice. Each time, it made Violet's heart race and her cheeks flush pink at the taboo situation.

Standing before him, she bit her lip and tried not to make a scene or get herself into enough trouble that would make her father do something drastic. But even when she tried to calm her self, her chest heaved with tears of sadness and fear. So this is what her eighteenth birthday present was? A marriage? Violet's blue eyes met him, then looked away at the small little crowd to give herself a chance to swallow against her dry throat. In the back, she could see her dear maid Lily crying, not able to look at the front of the room at all. This made Violet start to shake all over again.

Looking down, she made a point to stare at her wedding gown. At least it was beautiful, something she had always dreamed of... The flowers in her hands were red roses, which were gorgeous, but not her favorite. She preferred daisies. But all of that really didn't matter now, for this wasn't the wedding she wanted at all. In fact, the more she thought about it, the harder it was to fight the urge to cry right at the front of the room; right in front of Dominic Strauss. She leaned forward, let her long blond hair hide her face and let her shoulders shake.

Everything was perfect in Dominic's mind, as far as he was concerned the entire wedding ceremony was entirely pointless because it was just to facilitate him getting what he wanted... in his mind it could have been as simple as a trip to a court house with her signing the proper documents. However when he had first made his demands her parents had insisted that he at least do things the traditional way, the dress and the music and the priest, that last one being the hardest thing to come by of course... thankfully he had managed to find a church that was willing to provide a priest to officiate the ceremony for a large enough donation. Not a single expense had been spared of course, even the custom made dress that had been made using a model who fit the measurements of his bride to be perfectly, had cost a small fortune.

As Violet reached the short stage where he awaited her with the priest he smiled a little bit, trying to keep a straight face but it was really quite hard when all that he really wanted was being given to him, offered to him as a sacrificial lamb in order to protect her family. He wondered if her parents had told her why this was happening, if they had explained to her that if she married him and kept him happy then her father would have his old job back with a bonus and they wouldn't be in danger of losing what made them special.

“You look wonderful.” He whispered to her, leaning in closer to Violet as the priest began to drone on with all that dearly beloved stuff, Dominic was only half way listening to what was being said so that he would know when it was time to respond with the standard I do to the whole thing. “Keep in my Violet, if you spoil this for me then your family will end up on the streets by the end of the week.” Just after his he warned her on that the priest finished up the part of if he would care for and protect her and provide for her. Of course Dominic responded quite quickly with the standard “I do.” Before taking hold of Violets hand and slipping the ring onto her finger before the priest started to ask her the mirror of the questions that Dominic had received, in just moments the ceremony would be complete and Dominic didn't intend to waste much time before he consummated the marriage.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5vnNUMFeHoc/TgN02K8dz2I/AAAAAAAAAg4/_QDECgFdjuw/s320/rose-gold-wedding-ring-set.jpg

(shorter then I would have liked but... well will be longer on my next post)

Violet bit her lip when she felt his breath on her ear, and her own breath hitched when he revealed the ultimatum... She did this, or she would have to turn back to her family that she would be putting out of a home. Of course, Violet wasn't naive. She knew they were in financial turmoil these days due to her father losing his nice position at his job. She didn't get the nice things she used to from day to day, and their staff only consisted of Lily, the maid who only really stayed around to stay with Violet and keep herself off the streets. And it was even more obvious how bad it had gotten when they had to sell their house on the beach and their house in the mountains that they liked to vacation to during the holidays. So, yes, of course... She knew things were bad. But bad enough for them to practically sell her?

Violet bit her lip and continued to look down, hearing the words "I do" ring through the air... Thoughts ran through her mind. His threat was obvious and stern. Her father must have promised her hand in marriage for his job in return. It would give them the money they needed to help their lifestyle, but was it so worth it that her father didn't mind giving her to his old boss as if she were some kind of pawn? Violet looked over at her father, and he gave her a disturbing nod of encouragement. Her mother wouldn't even look up to meet her eyes.

Then their was the thought of why Mr. Strauss even wanted her... Why would he was her so bad, that he would give my father his job back in return? What was so special that he wanted her all to himself, and even arranged this whole thing to make it happen? However and why he did it was uncertain to Violet, but it gave her enough reason to realize this was a serious matter. She either said "I do", or she prepared to her her and her family, and even Lily on the streets.

Sniffing, she looked up at him, trying to regain what little composure she could muster up. Her eyes were glistening with tears, her cheeks stained and face pale as a ghost... With a slight, hesitant nod, she took the ring that her uncle thrust at her, and slipped it on Mr. Strauss' ring finger. "I do," she said. Her voice was strong, but faded when it cracked at the end.